The Crown
by TheFrenchGal
Summary: Alternate Ending—On that fateful night, Tara chooses MK as her heir. Everyone is overjoyed, Leafmen and Jinn alike. Everyone but the new Queen herself. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own Epic or the characters displayed in this story. They are owned by Blue Sky.

Ah, it's been a while since I've posted anything. I've been sitting on this idea for a while now, and decided I'd write it. Hoping onto the Queen!MK bandwagon, albeit a bit late. I do hope you'll enjoy reading this.

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She missed it. She missed the bloom…

MK's heart clenched. Her only chance of going back home was gone. Her eyes stayed fixed at Moonheaven as she stared numbly at the light glowing from the Ceremonial room. This was it then. She'd have to stay like this forever. The ground heaved slightly under her feet, dizziness threatening to make her loose her balance. It felt surreal, it couldn't be happening. Was it really happening? Maybe all this, all she had experienced that day, was just an overwhelming, terrifying, wonderful dream. Maybe that light was her wake up call.

When she finally reached the light, MK had to face the facts; this wasn't a dream and she wasn't waking up. Her breath hitched. She really wasn't going back home. She forced herself to look up from her feet, well-intent on not crumbling—she hadn't at her mother's funeral, she wouldn't now. Past the crowd, she caught a glimpse of the pod. It wasn't a pod at all, actually. It had bloomed into a lotus flower, small and delicate, but glowing with life.

"MK!" The unexpected call snapped her out of her trance. She blinked the fog out of her mind, and smiled at the familiar figure making his way towards her.

"Nod," she breathed out. He looked awful, with cuts and bruises all over his face, but so happy, so relived to see her. She spotted Ronin standing not far behind, a smile on his face, and felt her heart soar. He was in worse shape than Nod, but he was alive. He'd made it. Her troubled mind eased up, momentarily distracted.

The second he reached her, Nod took MK's hands in his, giving them a quick squeeze, as if to reassure himself that she really _was_ there, grinning from ear to ear, and MK laughed a bit, succumbing to the joy radiating from him.

"I thought you were gone," Nod said. "But you're still here." The words, as innocent as they may have been, felt like a stab. MK's smile faltered, her grip on Nod's hands loosening a bit as her eyes drifted to the ground.

"Yeah… I guess I missed my chance." She let out, her throat feeling dry. Nod squeezed her hands again, forcing her to look up. She half-expected to see pity in his eyes but found none. There was sadness, but it wasn't like the looks she'd been given at her mother's funeral, full of condolence and sorry at her misfortune. Something about the way he gazed at her felt oddly reassuring. He was about to say something when gasps and murmurs started filling the room, making both of them turn their attention to the source of the whispers.

Droplets of light floated out of the newly bloomed pod, and the sight brought back MK's memory of Tara's body dissolving into particles of light, as she disappeared into the stormy sky. Could this mean… Could this mean the new heir was going to be chosen? She sucked in a shaky breath, a smile slipping back onto her lips. Maybe she'd be able to go back home after all. She'd missed the bloom, but there was still hope.

The trail of light moved gracefully, swirling around Ronin as it passed by him, before making it's way to where she and Nod stood. MK instinctively took a step backwards as it stopped just at her side, morphing into the image of the Queen, similar to the one she'd seen in the scroll at Nim's. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight. Tara gave her a smile before turning towards Ronin.

MK had known the bond between him and Tara had been more than mere mutual respect and protective duty—the way he'd held her when she died, his uncharacteristic outburst at Nod—, but the look he sent her dissipated any lingering doubt she ever could've had.

"There's that smile." Tara said, as if she was sharing a private joke with him. She looked back at MK, gaze soft and motherly. "Take good care of them."

For a second, MK didn't register the words. "Huh?" Tara simply chuckled and leaned forward, pecking MK on the forehead.

And suddenly, she was engulfed in light and warmth, the sensation almost overwhelming. She felt more alive than she'd ever felt in her life. _'What's going on?_' Was she being sent back?

When the light finally subsided, MK was left in a light daze. Her eyes fluttered open. She was still there. She was still in the Ceremonial room. Everyone was turned towards her, gasping and gaping in wonder. Incomprehension shook her and she turned to Nod, only now realizing he had let go of her hand. He stood there, staring at her, and she couldn't interpret the look he was sending her—awe, bewilderment, shock, confusion? Her heart started drumming and she looked down at herself.

Her clothes had been whisked away, replaced by a gown with a sleeveless bodice made out of leaves, that climbed around her neck, her otherwise exposed back and arms covered by a vegetal bolero. White flower petals flowed around her in a long skirt, it's front brushing the floor just barely, and hiding her feet. MK stood in shock, gaze snapping upwards as Nim made his way towards her, a huge smile plastered on his lips.

"Your Majesty," he said, taking a theatrical bow. She couldn't help the small nervous laugh that escaped her, but her breathe caught in her throat and she had to swallow past the lump, her stomach clenching with nervousness. The feeling only worsened as everyone followed the scrollkeeper's example, bowing respectfully before her, smiles tugged on their lips. Her breathing grew uneasy, and she looked around in panic, unable to comprehend what was happening, trying to meet someone's gaze regardless of all the bowed heads. A hand took hers, making her jump despite the gentleness of the gesture. She glanced at it briefly, before looking upwards.

Nod was still standing, a warm reassuring smile on his lips, and he gave her hand a light squeeze. She stared back at him, unable to utter a word, but feeling herself calm down. His fingers slipped slowly out of hers, and she felt the need grab his hand again, to cling onto it, because right now, it felt like the only thing she could actually hold on to. But she didn't move, she didn't try to catch him, she didn't stop him from kneeling in front of her like everyone else.

And it all tumbled onto her. She was the heir. She was the new Queen. She wasn't going home. She wouldn't be able to make things right with her father again. She wouldn't be going to College like her mom had wanted her to. She wouldn't do that road trip around the States she'd giggled about with her friends. She wouldn't write that book she'd dreamed of, or do any of the things she could've done. She'd never be able to go to her mother's grave ever again.

She started shaking.

_It was too much._

Beads of tears rolled down her cheeks.

_It was unfair._

A sob recked itself from her throat and she brought her hands to her mouth quickly, stifling any other sound.

She'd been told she'd be sent back home if she helped, and she had, she'd risked her life, and how did they repay her? By taking away her freedom, her dreams, her world, _her life_. And yet she couldn't feel an ounce of anger towards these people or Tara, Tara who had died for them. Betrayal and sorrow maybe, but not anger. She was too overwhelmed to notice the anxious whispers around her, only snapping back to reality when someone settled a careful hand on her shoulder. Through the haze of tears, her first thought was Nod, but she quickly realized it wasn't him. It was Ronin.

She stared at him and he stared back, grave and concerned. "Are you alright?"

There was uneasiness at the edge of his voice, and the softness with which he uttered those words sent that last part of her—the one that always told her to stay strong, the one that had kept her from completely falling apart when her mother had died—shattering. She latched onto him, burying her face against his collar, not even bothering to think about what people would make of her behavior, and cried. Cried all the tears she had willed herself to keep at bay, cried for the things she had lost, the chances that were gone, cried for everything her heart held.

She didn't notice Ronin returning her embrace, holding her as tightly as she held onto him, didn't notice the room fall silent, didn't notice the stunned heart-broken look on Nod's face, didn't notice anything.

She cried, and nothing more.

This wasn't the reward she was promised.

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A/N: It always bothered me how in most fics (not all of course) where MK was made Queen, she didn't make such a big deal of it, or if she did, it didn't last very long. I kind of wanted to write more of this, but I guess it'll depend on how well I manage my time. And how inspired I feel. In the mean time, this is a simple oneshot to get myself back into writing.

I'd be more than happy to hear what you guys think of this. Good? Bad? Blasphemy? Feel free to tell me what you think, if you liked it or not (and if you can add the reasons you did or didn't, that would be even cooler *blows kisses*) Don't hesitate and point out typos and oddly worded sentences. English isn't my first language so I tend to miss things.


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